Ministry of Health - Clinician Investigator Program Funding

In 2010 the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) agreed to provide funding for a total of 14 positions annually at the University of Toronto to support residents who wish to pursue the Clinical Investigator Program (CIP). The funding of salary and benefits equivalent to PARO contract rates for residents in the CIP was provided in an effort to create more opportunities for postgraduate trainees to pursue careers as physician scientists, educators and researchers. There are a total of 30 MOH-CIP positions across the province.

The competition deadline for MOH-CIP Award applications (with a July 1, 2025 enrollment) will be January 14, 2025.

Candidates for the MOH-CIP Award must be eligible to receive funding for residency training from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Eligibility requires that candidates be Canadian citizens/permanent residents, and be enrolled in an RCPSC-accredited residency program while receiving funding.

Residents must complete an application form available from your Residency Program Director or the CIP office (or at http://cip.utoronto.ca). New CIP residents must complete the CIP application with approvals from both the Research Supervisor and the Residency Program Director and Department Chair/Business Manager.

Applicants for the award who are current CIP trainees do NOT need to complete the application again. However, they must indicate via email their request to be funded by MOH-CIP and whether there are any changes in any of the information provided in their original application to the CIP. The trainee must supply a one-page statement of their current project, progress, and future plans. As well, letters of support are required from the Research Supervisor confirming research progress to date and Program Director confirming continued departmental support, plus, a statement of current project, progress and future plans.

For both New Applicants and Current CIP trainees, please refer to the Application Checklist for required application documents.

Generally, residents are discouraged from receiving additional salary awards above and beyond their MOH salary and benefits; however, applicants should check with their Clinical Departments on department-specific funding policies including receiving grants and deferring them to a non-MOH funded year of research.

Candidates for CIP are generally expected to apply for external funded awards through granting agencies such as CIHR. Applicants should contact their Departments about eligibility and opportunities for funding support. Some Departments elect to fund their residents directly from department research funds, or direct research grant funding to them individually.

Applicants should contact their departments regarding benefit support while funding departmentally or externally. It is recommended that departments assist with benefit coverage (extended health, dental, life insurance premiums). PARO dues and LTD premiums are the responsibility of the trainee.

Residents remain at their pre-CIP training level when they enter the CIP. Resident progression is tied to creditable clinical residency training; therefore, residents do not progress to the next training level during their research year(s).

The resident will stay at this level for the number of years that they are in research/graduate studies (full time CIP), and proceed to the next training level when they return to clinical residency training – equal to their progression through the RCPSC clinical program.

For example, a PGY3 resident in a 5-year RCPSC program will be appointed to the CIP at the PGY3 level and may stay at that level for two years – returning to full time clinical training at the PGY4 level then promoted to PGY5 in the following clinical year. According to current MOHLTC funding guidelines, residents cannot be appointed and paid at a level beyond the RCSCP length of training. For example, a resident in a 5-year training program could not be appointed and paid beyond a PGY 5 training level.

The Clinician Investigator Program is viewed as a separate RCPSC accredited program and not additional mandatory clinical or research training beyond the requirements of a RCPSC Clinical residency program. Therefore, residents will be considered to have dual certification with RCPSC. The CIP is not considered continuous training and is not part of a resident’s progression through clinical training.

Mandatory residency research training that overlaps with CIP research: Some programs, such as General Surgery or Neurosurgery, require a mandatory year of research as part of their RCPSC residency curriculum. Where a research year is mandatory, residents will be permitted to progress to the next training level during their research year.

The level of MOH-CIP funding is based on the current PARO-CAHO salary and benefit scale and is dependent on the PGY level at which you enter the CIP program. The current salary scale is found at this link http://www.myparo.ca/your-contract/#annual-salary-scale.

Yes the MOH-CIP funding includes benefits as identified in the current PARO-CAHO agreement.

The intent of the MOH-CIP Award provided to the University of Toronto since 2010 is to create more opportunities and capacity for trainees to pursue academic careers in research. Priority is to award MOH-CIP funding to first-time applicants.

Since 2010, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has provided annual funding for 14 positions dedicated to CIP trainees at the University of Toronto. The funding is intended to provide the first year salary and benefit support at the appropriate PGY level for new CIP trainees who are judged to have the greatest potential to become a clinical investigator. Funding is awarded after a rigorous review of applicants by the CIP Committee and positions are funded on a merit basis on the overall strength of the application and confirmation of funding from the department for the second year of the program. MOHLTC funding is annual, one-time recurring, and not subject to accrual. As such, the MOH-CIP Award cannot be deferred.

No. The MOH-CIP Award can only be awarded to residents currently enrolled in an RCPSC training program. Trainees who have completed their residency are not eligible for MOH-CIP funding.

Residents who do not hold an independent practice license and wish to pursue clinical practice opportunities outside their residency program should do so through the Restricted Registration Program. Residents must apply for approval to participate in the program at www.rrapp.ca.

Residents who do hold independent practice licenses and wish to pursue clinical practice while receiving an MOH-CIP Award salary are responsible to ensure they meet the requirements and expectations of their education program.